Houghton Visitor Center - Isle Royale National Park

The Isle Royale National Park visitor center in Houghton, Michigan is unique in that is is more than 50 miles from the park. Situated on the Portage Canal, the visitor center is part of the winter headquarters complex for the park. The summer headquarters is on Mott Island about four miles southwest of the Rock Harbor Lodge. While the island and park is closed from November 1 until April 15, the headquarters staff and year-round rangers relocate to Houghton. The home port for Ranger III is also at Houghton, just across the driveway from the visitor center.

Although housed in a double-wide office trailer, the visitor center contains most of the usual amenities including restrooms, information desk, bookstore/giftshop, and a small seating area for viewers of the park's video presentation entitled An Island Wilderness.

Some of the unique signage style of Isle Royale

Exterior information kiosk

Visitor Center

Bookstore and information desk

Supplies for rebuilding boardwalks

Park offices

NPS Barge Beaver

Buildings across the Portage Canal in Hancock

Entry to Isle Royale National Park is free. However, the park charges a daily user fee of $4 per adult (over 11 years) per calendar day. This fee is not covered by the Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, or the Interagency Access Pass. In addition, this is the only national park that completely closes for the winter. The island is closed from November 1 through April 15.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/isro.